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6th grade History

The Odyssey, Chp. 12

XII The Old Man of the Sea

1. What does Telemachus ask/tell King Menelaus the next morning?

Telemachus asks Menelaus if he has any news of Odysseus. Telemachus also shares what is
going on at his home with the suitors.

2. How does King Menelaus respond?

Menelaus tells Odysseus that he is sorry to hear about his troubles at home.

3. Proteus is the Old Man of the Sea.

4. Eidothea is the daughter of Proteus.

5. How does Eidothea help Menelaus?

Eidothea tells Menelaus how to catch her father, Proteus.

6. How does Menelaus catch Proteus?

Menelaus grabs hold of Proteus as a sea lion, then a lion, then a snake, a leopard, a boar, and
finally water…Menelaus does not let go, no matter what shape Proteus takes.

7. What did Proteus do when he was caught?

Finally, Proteus answers Menelaus’ questions.

8. What did Proteus tell Menelaus about how to get home to Sparta?

Proteus tells Menelaus that he cannot get home because he has angered the Gods. Menelaus
will have to go to Egypt to make sacrifices to the Gods to make them happy again.

9. What did Proteus tell Menelaus about Odysseus?

Proteus told Menelaus that Odysseus had lost all of his ships and men and that he was being
held by Calypso on Ogygia.

10. Why did Telemachus ask Menelaus to give him no horses (but there were lots of other gifts!)?

Telemachus told Menelaus that Ithaca was a rocky land with no suitable roads for driving
on.